Chapter 2
The day of the finals arrived. After training with Jiraiya, Naruto felt like he had a darn good chance of beating Neji.
It'd been a long month, but he felt it was worth it.
He hadn't been in the village very much... In fact, he had barely been in Konoha at all. He had spent time AROUND it, sure, but he rarely went into Konoha proper.
'Man, this is what I'm talking about! Just gimme a hat, and I could totally pull a frog from it! Not quite as impressive as rabbits, sure... But I'll take what I can get.'
Yeah... Naruto was pleased. Training with Jiraiya, while in some ways a hassle, was totally worth it.
'There's no way Sakura-chan won't fall in love with me once she sees my mad ninjutsu skills!'
Naruto's thoughts strayed to Sakura, as they often did. But it didn't last, as he had other things to focus on.
'I'm going to kick Neji's ass so hard for what he did to Hinata! Then I'm gonna pass the chuunin exam, dattebayo!'
But, as he wandered through town, he began to notice something was different.
'That's odd... Everyone seems to be whispering and pointing as I go by. Normally, they just ignore me... Hey, did that woman just smile at me? What the hell's going on???'
Naruto was very pleasantly surprised... He thought he'd have to become Hokage before everyone decided to acknowledge him!
Naruto felt that his whole day had just gotten better.
'Man, maybe they all know about my awesome ninjutsu skills now, too?'
Naruto, being Naruto, began to smile back, and made his way to the arena, both confused and elated.
He had been rather nervous about fighting Neji... But somehow, if everyone seemed so happy to see him... He knew he would win!
Then the second abnormal thing of the day happened.
"Na-Na-Naruto-hic-kun..."
Naruto stopped, and turned around.
There, leaning against the side of a building, stood Hyuuga Hinata.
'Wait... She's not leaning... She's clutching onto it for dear life!'
"Hinata?? What are you doing here? Are you... drunk?"
Naruto talked as loudly as he usually did, his voice carrying over the surrounding area. He didn't even notice that half of the people around him immediately stopped, and turned to see what was going to happen next in the village's most current drama.
"N-n-n-yes, Naruto-kun."
"You shouldn't drink, Hinata... We're way too young for that!"
Hinata hung her head, having discovered that she had apparently disappointed Naruto.
The other half of the crowd, the one that hadn't initially turned, did so when they heard Naruto shout 'We're too young for that!'. That one was gonna create some new rumors, for sure.
"Come on, Hinata... I'm sure your family wouldn't approve of that!"
"So-so-sorry, Naruto-kun. I just... I saw Ten-hic-ten and-"
"Tenten? Oh, is she practicing with the sword I gave her? That's good!"
The murmurs of the crowd grew... Apparently Naruto hadn't known that Tenten had accepted his gift! Even stranger... It seemed as if Naruto was completely unaware of the Hyuuga girl's affection...
"But its ok, Hinata... I'll beat Neji up, and show him that it isn't all about fate! I gotta go, though... The third exam starts soon!"
And with that, Naruto ran off, leaving Hinata staring off at him as he ran away, before drunkenly stumbling after him.
And the crowd... They went to tell everyone the latest news.
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"It is fate that you will lose this match, Uzumaki. Not only am I a genius and you a dead-last... But you went and made it personal when you gave Tenten that sword!"
Naruto and Neji stood, facing off, in the arena.
"What does me giving Tenten a sword have to do with anything? What, you jealous or something? I ain't giving no sword to you, that's for sure!"
The crowd buzzed with whispers after that... Did Naruto just call Neji gay? Was Neji acting out just because HE wanted Naruto's interest, and saw Hinata actually as competition instead of potential lover?
There was much squeeing from fan girls at this thought.
"Of course not! But since you gave her that sword, she hasn't been around to help ME! And because of that... well, you'll pay! Fate has ordained it so... Now I just need to finish it."
Luckily, the wish of the fan girls was swiftly killed and replaced back with the rivalry over Tenten's favor.
And with that, the first match began.
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"Yeah, I know what it feels like to have a seal like that... So what of it?"
Everyone sat on the edge of their seats as the match grew more and more interesting.
Even without the Kaiten, Neji was a highly formidable fighter. Naruto's clones would get destroyed, and he would create more. The fight itself was getting kind of repetitive... but no one cared.
No, everyone was listening to the dialogue.
The violence was interspersed in with random arguments over fate, and whether Naruto could really understand what Neji's life was like.
Most of the crowd found that highly ironic.
And then... After Neji utilized the Hakke Rokujûyon Shô... A lot of people were overjoyed.
Because apparently... A lot of the women's thoughts were correct. Naruto did exist past the Kyuubi. He existed DESPITE the Kyuubi. He tried his damndest to succeed... and it looked like he would.
By Naruto's own words, he had a difficult life, but one that he existed to spite his 'fate', instead of to live up to it.
It scared a lot of people... When Naruto had gotten up after the Hakke Rokujûyon Shô, and seemingly called up the Kyuubi's chakra to reopen his tenketsu... But then he proved his own humanity, with one simple line.
Neji didn't stand a chance.
"Winner... Uzumaki Naruto."
The rest of the fights continued, with Sasuke not showing up, Kankurou forfeiting, and Shikamaru giving up... But the thing most people dwelled on was Naruto's words to Neji.
It seemed as if there was much more going on then any of them had guessed... But most resolved to thank that Tenten girl for whatever she had done to make sure Naruto stayed human.
And it would only get worse when word of Naruto and Hinata's encounter before the exams got spread around.
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Something different happened this time around, after Kabuto utilized his genjutsu.
For, you see... After Sakura woke up Naruto, the first thing he saw was the glowing purple box on top of one of the building... With the Sandaime fighting within.
So, instead of staying around to await Kakashi's orders, he immediately rushed over in that direction, eager to help save his faux-grandfather's life.
Kakashi, watching him run away, sighed. He turned to one of the other genin present, as he felt he needed someone to replace Naruto on his little team to save Sasuke from his own stupidity.
"You... Gai's girl... Tenten. Go with Sakura and Shikamaru and..."
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Naruto arrived on top of the building, where 4 ANBU sat, pondering the dilemma presented by the barrier.
"What the hell? Why aren't you helping out?"
The lead ANBU pointed at the barrier.
"That keeps us out, kid. Now run along and go help fight-"
But Naruto didn't give up that easily.
No, Naruto stood, and pondered the barrier for a minute.
Then he ran up to the barrier, and smashed a hole in the floor right next to one of the corners.
Naruto dropped in the hole, and a moment later, the Sound-nin maintaining that corner cried out, and fell in a hole too.
The barrier, no longer being supported by all 4 corners, collapsed.
Naruto hopped out from the hole, looked at the stunned ANBU, and said, "Man... You guys really need to think these things through!"
With that, he turned and ran straight towards Sarutobi... Who was currently fighting Orochimaru, and two other guys who looked strangely familiar, wielding a huge staff.
'Well, I might as well even the odds!'
Naruto knew what he had to do.
It was time for him to utilize his super-cool ninjutsu!
Not even thinking about what could possibly be stupid about doing this, Naruto leapt high up into the air, over the fight.
As he came down, directly above Orochimaru he began working hand seals.
As he finished, he called out the name of the technique.
"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"
Pouring as much chakra as he had into it... Naruto summoned forth Gamabunta.
Who appeared directly above Orochimaru.
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It was an odd scene after that...
"No one... No one could have survived THAT."
The entire building they had been standing on had been crushed by the enormous toad falling.
All the fighters, aside from Orochimaru, had managed to jump up and off the collapsing building.
Now the Hokage, Naruto, the four ANBU, and the Sound 4 just stood there, in front of Gamabunta, who was confused as all hell as to what he was doing here.
And there, under one of Gamabunta's feet, was a hand sticking out, holding a sword.
Naruto, thinking back to the story that Zabuza had told him. He immediately decided that the sword was his, because he had killed the guy... Not realizing that was only a Kiri tradition.
So as the Sound 4, realizing the situation and their own drained chakra from maintaining the shield, surrendered, Naruto walked over and picked up the sword.
"Heh... Now, what am I going to do with YOU?"
However, it was at this moment that everyone felt a chilling chakra, and saw an enormous figure rising out of the woods a little ways away.
The Hokage, realizing what was going on, pointed to one of the ANBU.
"Tenzou... Go take care of that."
Gamabunta finally decided to say something.
"What the hell am I doing here... AND WHAT THE HELL IS SHUKAKU DOING OVER THERE!?"
Naruto, seeing the giant sand demon, shouted up to his summon, even as he leapt up his body in an effort to reach his head.
"Hey, Gamabunta... We're gonna go fight him! He's threatening Konoha!"
"Kid... You're going to owe me so much Sake for this..."
Gamabunta hopped off, in the same direction Tenzou had... towards the giant sand demon.
But... Out of the two... The only one the villagers saw was Naruto, riding off to battle in a manner so reminiscent of their greatest hero.
And even MORE rumors began to spread.
And Sarutobi stood, where he could now see Orochimaru's crushed corpse.
"I always thought it would be more... Climactic, then that. But I'll take what I can get."
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"WHO WILL FEED MOTHER! WHO WILL I KILL NEXT!?"
The fight had gone pretty poorly over here. Sasuke was drained of his chakra, hiding in a tree.
Sakura was there with him, holding him up.
Tenten was on the ground, drained of her own chakra, resting on the enormous blade of Kubikiri Houcho. She had been the last foe that had fought Gaara, before he managed to complete his monstrous transformation. It was only the presence of said sword that had let her block any of his attacks at all, its wide blade easily deflecting his sand shuriken, and letting her deflect attacks from larger pieces of sand.
But, even then, she was easily outclassed, and was only barely standing.
Gaara, enraged, had spent the whole fight flailing around, looking for Sasuke to kill him. But now he had decided that if Sasuke wasn't going to come out, he might as well just go ahead and let Mother out to play.
That is, until Gamabunta arrived, with Naruto on top... And a random ANBU, too.
Tenten had never been so happy to see anyone in her life.
It was like watching a crappy Kaiju movie, at first. Gamabunta shot a water ball at Shukaku, and Shukaku dodged and fought back with an air-blast.
Then Gamabunta drew its sword, and stabbed the Shukaku... Right as the ANBU began a seal sequence.
From a distance, it looked like somehow Gamabunta had defeated Shukaku... But really, it was the ANBU Tenzou, using the abilities that Orochimaru had spliced into him, to force the demonic chakra down.
Not that any of the observers saw that.
Gaara fell to the earth, with Naruto jumping down after him.
Naruto began to speak with the downed Gaara, who was apparently shocked that he lost.
"I told you before... You're just like me. I just decided that there are people and things worth fighting for, that the world isn't just about me."
As Gaara fell silent, Temari and Kankurou approached.
Temari recognized Naruto, a little, from her first encounter with him before the exams, and from him evidently calling her 'perfect' after her match.
Sakura and Sasuke also jumped down from their tree, stunned at seeing Naruto ride in on the huge toad. Being Konoha-nin, they knew who else had the toad summons.
Naruto, still holding the Kusanagi blade, looked around.
His eyes first stopped on Temari and Kankurou. Just as Temari opened her mouth to say something, Naruto turned away.
Naruto kept on looking, and saw Sasuke and Sakura. Just as he was about to saying something to Sakura though... He saw Tenten resting against Kibukiri Houcho right behind them.
His face lit up.
'Man, does she have good timing or what?'
"Hey, it's Tenten! Just the person I wanted to see! Oooh, you even were using Zabuza's sword! That's perfect! See... I just got this new sword, and I was wondering..."
Both Sakura and Temari looked awestruck, for similar reasons.
Sakura for having Naruto ignore her for ANYTHING (besides ramen that is). Temari for being so easily dismissed by any guy, much less one that seemed to compliment her before.
Kankurou was amused by his sisters' reaction, more then anything else, before heading over to Gaara's side.
Sasuke just stood there, jealously.
Even as Naruto apparently fussed over Tenten, Kankurou brought his puppet to bear, ready to fight. Temari, remembering herself, reached for her fan.
"No... We will not fight. Let's... Just go."
Tenzou stood, forgotten by the children, ready to strike down Gaara as he lay in a moment of weakness... That is, until, he received a message from the Hokage via messenger pigeon to let Gaara go.
And Tenten?
Tenten stood, in even greater bemused wonder, looking at her newest sword.
"Naruto... This sword... Where did you get this sword?"
"Oh, well, you know that guy Orochimaru? Well, he was attacking the Hokage, and so I killed him. And since I killed him, I took his sword! But, ya know..."
Naruto left unsaid that he didn't actually know HOW to use a sword.
Tenten thought that he was implying that he wanted to give it to HER.
"I... I don't know what to say, Naruto. The Kusanagi blade is-"
"Wait, idiot! What the hell are you saying, that you killed Orochimaru? He was an S-Rank missing nin!"
Sasuke couldn't believe that Naruto was trying to claim that he had killed one of the strongest ninjas in the world? Preposterous!
"Did too, Sasuke! And that's his sword!"
"Hn. Like anyone is going to believe THAT."
Tenten arose, holding the sword.
"Well... One of the things people say about the Kusanagi blade is that it can cut through anything..."
She walked over to the nearest tree, and placed the edge of the blade against... and slowly moved against the tree.
All the genin watched in awe as the tree was cut, cleanly through.
Tenten's eyes welled up. At first, she hadn't quite believed it either. But now... This guy had given her a SECOND priceless sword?
'That... My god, and this is just the way he shows he likes me? What would he give me if he was asking me to MARRY him?'
Sakura, knowing of the rumors... Well, she was a little jealous. Not because someone else had Naruto's interest (No! Of course not! We love Sasuke, Shannaro!), but because if she had a priceless sword, then she was sure she could attract Sasuke's interest!
Then two things happened simultaneously.
First, Tenten decided that Naruto deserved a hug. Nothing more then that (because she didn't want Naruto to think that all he had to do to get into her pants was kill super-ninjas and steal their weapons!), but it was a nice hug nonetheless.
Second... Jiraiya arrived.
"Well! It looks my student takes after me more then I thought! I was going to take you out drinking, for killing Orochimaru and all... But I think this is better! What would I call it... Icha Icha Swords?"
Naruto's confusion over being hugged by Tenten quickly boiled over into anger at Jiraiya.
"Shut up, Ero-sennin! If you ever write one of your pervert books about me, I'll kill you!"
Tenten, Sakura, and Sasuke could only stare bewildered as Jiraiya ran off, laughing, with an enraged Naruto in chase.
Author's Notes: And here's chapter two, fleshed out and all pretty-like. Tenten receives her second sword, and now starts to actually consider that the rumors may be true, and that Naruto really IS professing his love for her. But how does she feel about that?
Sakura starts feeling jealous (but won't admit it), and Hinata is scheming on how to win Naruto herself. Plus… How will everyone else who knows Naruto react?